2.2.0.25truefalse0622 - Disclosure - Significant Credit Concentrations (Details)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Jan-01-2010_Dec-31-2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$TwelveMonthsEnded_31Dec2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0axp_ConcentrationRiskCreditRiskFinancialInstrumentsAbstractaxpfalsenadurationRepresents table detailing the Company's cardmember loans and receivables exposure (including unused lines-of-credit on...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringRepresents table detailing the Company's cardmember loans and receivables exposure (including unused lines-of-credit on cardmember loans) in the United States and outside the United States.falsefalse3false0us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskCreditRiskFinancialInstrumentMaximumExposureus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse138000000000138000000000[1]falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse117000000000117000000000[1]falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryReflects the maximum amount of loss due to credit risk that, based on the gross fair value of the financial instrument, the entity would incur if parties to the financial instruments that make up the concentration failed completely to perform according to the terms of the contracts and the collateral or other security, if any, for the amount due proved to be of no value to the entityReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 107
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse4false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://americanexpress.com/role/significantcreditconcentrationsdetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis} : Individuals [Member]
1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
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1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
$TwelveMonthsEnded_31Dec2009_Individuals_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseIndividuals [Member]us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_IndividualsMemberus-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse5true0axp_ConcentrationRiskCreditRiskFinancialInstrumentsAbstractaxpfalsenadurationRepresents table detailing the Company's cardmember loans and receivables exposure (including unused lines-of-credit on...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringRepresents table detailing the Company's cardmember loans and receivables exposure (including unused lines-of-credit on cardmember loans) in the United States and outside the United States.falsefalse6false0us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskCreditRiskFinancialInstrumentMaximumExposureus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse8800000000088000000000[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse6000000000060000000000[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryReflects the maximum amount of loss due to credit risk that, based on the gross fair value of the financial instrument, the entity would incur if parties to the financial instruments that make up the concentration failed completely to perform according to the terms of the contracts and the collateral or other security, if any, for the amount due proved to be of no value to the entityReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 107
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse7false0axp_UnusedLinesOfCreditaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents the approximate credit line available on cardmember loans (including both for on-balance sheet loans and loans...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse226000000000226000000000[3]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse222000000000222000000000[3]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents the approximate credit line available on cardmember loans (including both for on-balance sheet loans and loans previously securitized).No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://americanexpress.com/role/significantcreditconcentrationsdetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis} : Financial Institutions [Member]
1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
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1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 107
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph b
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1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
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1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 107
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph b
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1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
$TwelveMonthsEnded_31Dec2010_Other_Concentration_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseOther Concentration [Member]us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_OtherConcentrationMemberus-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$10falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis} : Other Concentration [Member]
1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 107
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse1Certain distinctions between categories require management judgment. 2Individuals primarily include cardmember loans and receivables. 3Because charge card products have no preset spending limit, the associated credit limit on cardmember receivables is not quantifiable. Therefore, the quantified unused line-of-credit amounts only include the approximate credit line available on cardmember loans (including both for on-balance sheet loans and loans previously securitized). 4Financial institutions primarily include debt obligations of banks, broker-dealers, insurance companies and savings and loan associations. 5U.S. Government and agencies represent debt obligations of the U.S. Government and its agencies, states and municipalities, and government sponsored entities. 6All other primarily includes cardmember receivables from other corporate institutions. 215Significant Credit Concentrations (Details) (USD $)NoRoundingUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
